Okinawa is the Japanese Prefecture located at 26o 30'N, 128o 00'E. The main island sits in the Pacific Ocean and the East China sea, virtually isolated from major land masses; it is the largest of the 72- island chain. Okinawa is home to over one million people, the most densely populated island of the Ryukyu archipelago, with a vast majority residing in Naha city. Okinawa's islands are comprised of limestone and coral rocks; the limestone formation has resulted in many caves and, because of the vast amount of coral rocks, Okinawa has many coral reefs. The island is home to many sea creatures with an emphasis on the sea turtles which represents a significant figure for Okinawans. The island also has numerous jellyfish, whales, giant banana
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The island also has an extensive taxi service that is also very affordable; with transportation in mind, there are so many things that you can do in Southern Okinawa, you can enjoy fugu at restaurants like Yoshi Hachi, he is the only one licensed to prepare the blowfish tempura---because improper preparation can poison you to death, literally. If you enjoy water sports you can go deep sea diving or swim in the coral reefs, many of my squadron mates became qualified instructors. There's also the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, which is the second largest in the world, second only to the Atlanta aquarium. You can enjoy long and scenic hikes with waterfalls and beautiful beaches or tour Shuri castle. If water isn't for you, you can enjoy the many shopping centers and malls in Naha City or American Village located in Kadena. There are also many festivals that take place throughout the year. During my stay in Okinawa, I was able to experience many festivals. One of the most popular festivals there is Sports day, the celebration takes place in October, and it's pretty much a giant Tug-O-War. The east and west end of Naha city battle it out. Okinawans dress up in costumes representing the a Ryukyuan soldiers, each takes an end of one of the ropes and parades it through Naha city, on a horse; once both soldiers meet, the two sides of the rope are ceremoniously tied together. Then what appears to be more than 2,000 festival goers take hold of the rope, and the battle begins. We were encouraged to join in many of the Okinawan festivals because they love teaching us their traditions and culture; Okinawans are a very inclusive
The island also has an extensive taxi service that is also very affordable; with transportation in mind, there are so many things that you can do in Southern Okinawa, you can enjoy fugu at restaurants like Yoshi Hachi, he is the only one licensed to prepare the blowfish tempura---because improper preparation can poison you to death, literally. If you enjoy water sports you can go deep sea diving or swim in the coral reefs, many of my squadron mates became qualified instructors. There's also the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, which is the second largest in the world, second only to the Atlanta aquarium. You can enjoy long and scenic hikes with waterfalls and beautiful beaches or tour Shuri castle. If water isn't for you, you can enjoy the many shopping centers and malls in Naha City or American Village located in Kadena. There are also many festivals that take place throughout the year. During my stay in Okinawa, I was able to experience many festivals. One of the most popular festivals there is Sports day, the celebration takes place in October, and it's pretty much a giant Tug-O-War. The east and west end of Naha city battle it out. Okinawans dress up in costumes representing the a Ryukyuan soldiers, each takes an end of one of the ropes and parades it through Naha city, on a horse; once both soldiers meet, the two sides of the rope are ceremoniously tied together. Then what appears to be more than 2,000 festival goers take hold of the rope, and the battle begins. We were encouraged to join in many of the Okinawan festivals because they love teaching us their traditions and culture; Okinawans are a very inclusive